Re-voicing: Community choir participation as a medium for identity formation amongst people with learning disabilities

Abstract

This article examines findings from ethnographic research with the ReVoice choir project in NorthWest England. ReVoice was a community choir that consisted of members from two charitable organizations and the author of this article. A number of ReVoice's members were adults with learning disabilities and part of the choir's remit was to produce music that would feature in a film about hate crime perpetuated against people with disabilities. In the light of debates regarding the politics of identity for people with disabilities, this article illustrates how the formation of the choir, the rehearsal process and the choir performances constituted a distinctive cultural context that afforded people significant opportunities to develop an alternative, empowered sense of self in concert with others.

Changing Children’s Attitudes to Disability through Music: A Learning Intervention by Young Disabled Mentors

“…The children were active participants throughout, they engaged in shared music-making with their peers and the mentors, and they experienced success as they performed their songs for their class. The social bonding that music created is arguably the more important benefit rather than music per se [19], and indeed this might be attainable through other art forms such as drama [20] or in sports [21].…”

Academy of Music and Arts for Special Education (AMASE): An Ethnography of an Individual Music Instruction Program for Students With Disabilities

“…Participation in the choir was a source of joy for all the musicians regardless of ability and provided an opportunity for choristers to share that joy with others. Hassan (2017) explored a choir formed in response to a hate crime against a person with disabilities, revealing the ensemble as a place for empowerment and identity formation. Participation in community music ensembles appears to promote tolerance, acceptance, and a sense of social bonding, and choirs may use their platform for educational outreach and advocacy.…”

Reframing Health Promotion Research and Practice in Australia and the Pacific: The Value of Arts-Based Practices

“…Performances are in high demand, and the choir regularly travels throughout the region in the widely acclaimed "rock-bus." It is now well known that choir singing is associated with a range of health benefits; participating in a choir also provides the opportunity for members to access additional social support and may provide a new social identity (Hassan 2017). For people living with a disability or a mental health condition, being part of a choir presents an opportunity for meaningful activity and social connectedness.…”